FM Instruments
FM instruments can be enable under the Type dropdown box. This type of instrument can only be used in pitched channels. The BeepBox Discord also maintains a spreadsheet, listing FM instruments made by different people on the server. Each instrument comes with a demo of how they sound. About FM Synthesis FM synthesis is a simple, but powerful method of crafting instrument sounds. Populated by the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and Yamaha's FM keyboards, it has accomplished reproduction of many instruments, made up of simple sine waves that are modulated from or modulating with other sine waves. The sound synthesis type is really more rewarding than others, including the regular BeepBox Chip synth. There's a demo of the FM instruments, and a cover of "Sonic The Hedgehog - Green Hill Zone," both from John Nesky. BeepBox's FM synthesis capabilities consist of 4 sine-wave oscillators, or "operators". They can all output simultaneously, or modulate one or more other operators. If an operator can output its audio without affecting other operators, then it's called a "Carrier". If an operator is used to modulate other operators, then it's called a "Modulator". Operator 1 is always a carrier. A look-up table used to change the way these operators interact has different settings called "Algorithms". As in the picture above, white operators are carriers, and operators with the current channel color are modulators. These 4 operators can have their own frequency multiplication, volume, and volume envelope preset. One or more of these can also modulate themselves with another sine wave of the same frequency and volume specifications. BeepBox uses a look-up table to choose what operators to apply common feedback to. Operators can also be fed back from other operators, allowing something called "Reversed Modulation". Most FM synthesizers only allow feedback to be done on one of the operators, with no such multi-operator feedback whatsoever. By placing more than one note down in BeepBox, you can change the pitch of the individual operators. The notes are numbered according to the order they're placed in, and correspond to FM operator(s). This can produce similar effects to Yamaha's CH3-special mode from their OPN-family soundchips. Moreover, this feature is typically used for chords, which doubles the harmony limit from 2 to 4 notes. Parameters Notes: * Volume, Transition, Effect, and Offset Octave do the same thing as they do with the Chip instruments, although the volume and offset octave options are exclusive to Modbox. * X''' in '''Envelope names determine the speed of the envelope. 1 is fast speed, 2 is medium speed, and 3 is slow speed. Algorithm determines the algorithm to use with the operators. An arrow determines that the operator on the right of it is modulating the operator on the left. Parenthesis would mean the sum of other operators, that would modulate or be modulated from other operators. A space determines no modulation between two operators. Freq., Volume, and Envelope are all operator-independent options. * Freq. determines the frequency multiplier factor for that operator. A "~" symbol would mean that the operator is detuned. Here are all of the multiplier factors that BeepBox supports: ** ×1 ** ×~1 ** ×2 ** ×~2 ** ×3 ** ×4 ** ×5 ** ×6 ** ×7 ** ×8 ** ×9 ** ×10 (Modbox only) ** ×11 ** ×13 ** ×16 ** ×20 ** ×~20 (Sandbox only) ** ×0.5 (Sandbox only) ** ×~0.5 (Sandbox only) ** ×0.25 (Sandbox only) ** ×~0.25 (Sandbox only) * Volume determines the volume of the operator. There are 16 volume levels within this slider, ranging from 0 to 15. 0 indicates that the operator is disabled. Because this number of levels is roughly a power-of-2 size (24), it can be represented with a 4-bit binary number. * Envelope determines the envelope fade that would manipulate the volume of the operator over time. ** Custom has a volume fade determined by the notes played in a pattern. ** Steady has no effect on volume enveloping, and the output is always constant. ** Punch is a decay envelope with sustain. ** Flare x is a sequence of an attack and decay phase. The decay phase has a small step at mid-volume, where its fade-out speed is decreased. ** Pluck x is like Flare x but without the former attack phase. ** Swell x is a simple fade-in envelope. ** Tremolo x is similar to the instruments' main tremolo effects, so each operator can independently be given tremolo. ** Custom Tremolo is similar to Tremolo x, except the frequency of the effect depends on the volume of the note played in a pattern. ** Custom Flare is similar to Flare x, except the amplitude of the effect depends on the volume of the note played in a pattern. ** Flute x '''is a combination of decay, tremolo, and swell effects, first getting quieter, and then louder. '''Feedback determines which operators will be distorted by what other operators. The feedback intensity rate is adjustable, and can have an envelope phase that behaves the same as it does with per-operator volume envelopes. This allows you to create trumpet noises, to bare sawtooth waves, to crunchy static, using a single operator alone or without traditional FM synthesis tactics. Additionally, in the beta version of Modbox, there is an option called FM Chorus, which changes the tuning on each operator. By default, all the operators are tuned differently, but you can set it so that they are all tuned the same. FMChip FMChip is when BeepBox's Chip and FM sounds are combined together to sound like they're the same channel, making a more complicated instrument. This requires at least two channels. Category:Instrument Settings